According to AmericaBilingual.com, only 20% of the USA’s roughly 350 million population is bilingual and fluently speak another language at home. Meaning the other 80% speak only English. However, English is an official, widely spoken language in 67 countries and 28 sovereign nations around the world.
What a sorry sight!
At NDB, students are given the opportunity to learn a diverse selection of world languages: ASL, French and Spanish
as well as Mandarin via Tri-School classes. Each of these courses has its own Honors and, in most cases, AP distinctions for students who are qualified to take these levels in the required two-year span or for those pursuing further fluency.
However, once that graduation requirement is up, a lot of students opt out of taking a language. Many may not realize that there are so many benefits to immersing themselves in a second language to its fullest potential. For one, taking a language course two or more years looks great for college. Counselor Allan Gargaritano stated that, “Communication is key, so just having the skills …provide more … opportunites for growth.” During the freshman class meetings earlier in the school year, he encouraged this path because it shows commitment and dedication to maintaining academic rigor.
When one stops actively practicing and learning any skill, the abilities they cultivated for those skills fade over time. This is often seen with languages. The words and phrases they thought they could rely on for communication crumble, barricading them from connections and conversational life.
The American Public University System reports that being bilingual significantly increases employment opportunities, expands global opportunities and increases higher salary potential by 5% to 20%, compared to monolingual speakers. This expanded ability to communicate is especially useful in man fields, including business, medical and social services.
Additionally, bilingualism has huge neurological benefits. When one’s brain adapts to this skill, as stated by the National Institutes of Health, it enhances its ability to multitask. The human brain is not naturally an efficient multitasker, but the relationship between reading, writing, translating and speaking two languages rewires the brain’s neural connections. Learning a new language kindles creativity and defends against neurodegenerative disease.
Finally, there is a more personal, selfless reason to choose to pursue fluency in a language: im-
mersing ourselves in our own or other cultures. Have you ever found it difficult communicating with elders or relatives? Have you ever thought about how happy you would make your family feel if you chose to become one with your roots?
NDB French teacher Emilie Alba explained that, once students get to an AP level of a language, they begin using “more authentic resources” and “understand the culture in order to fully develop the language.” It can really help students become more familiar with their own or others’ heritages. There are many reasons why everyone should choose to become fluent in another language. Whether we are excelling in high school or college, standing out in job applications and through our chosen careers or shining in the hearts of the loved ones around us, learning a language is an incredibly
rewarding experience.
